The conventional handheld computing device, such as a PDA, or a wireless telephone, includes a keyboard/keypad, a display and a system motherboard (not shown) disposed within a common housing. The display is typically provided as a reflective, transmissive or transreflective LCD display panel.
To limit power losses and the effects of noise on image quality, the LCD display electronics must be disposed in close proximity to the LCD display panel. Accordingly, the LCD display electronics are provided on a printed circuit board that is housed within a plastic or metal support frame, together with the LCD display panel. The frame is then secured to the motherboard with permanent adhesive or screws.
To prevent the display electronics from making contact with the motherboard electronics, the frame maintains a small gap between the display electronics on the printed circuit board and the electronics on the motherboard. However, this design increases the thickness of the computing device. For instance, in the conventional handheld computing device, a gap of approximately 1.5 mm must be maintained between the display electronics and the motherboard electronics (1.2 mm to account for the height of the display electronics; and an additional 0.3 mm to account for the required clearance between the display electronics and the motherboard electronics).
In the case of a wireless-enabled computing device, typically the antenna and RF electronics are disposed near the uppermost end of the computing device to avoid attenuation of the RF signal by the user's hand as the user holds the device. Since this position for the RF electronics within the housing coincides with that of the display, the gap between the display electronics and the motherboard electronics must be increased. This latter design further increases the thickness of the computing device.
Therefore, there is a need for a configuration for a handheld computing device that allows the thickness of the device to be reduced.